Pneumatic motor



Patented Sept. 12, 1944 PNEUMATIC MOTOR Bertram P. Pond. River Forest. 111.. assignor to Minneapolis-Hbneywell Regulator Company, Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation 01' Delaware Application December 8, 1941, Serial No. 422,043

7 Claims. (01. 121-41) The present invention relates to pneumatic motors generally but in its more restricted aspects relates to a pneumatic motor particularly adapted to operate a valve and modulate the flow therethrough in response to changes in control pressure applied to the motor as determined by a thermostat or other condition responsive device.

One of the peculiarities of valves which has long been the subject of consideration is the exponential relation which exists between the rate oi fluid flow throughv the valve and valve opening. A given valve opening permits a flow which is much more than half the flow permitted by an opening of twice that amount. Since the most convenient and common valve structure comprises a disk which is moved vertically with respect to a valve seat it follows that small movements of the valve disk at nearly closed positions cause a much greater change in the rate of flow than similar movements would cause at nearly wide open positions.

One of the expedients used to correct this condition, in part, is to employ a characterized skirt below the valve disk to limit the flow materially when the disk is in nearly closed positions. A characterized valve skirt is unable to correct the above mentioned condition entirely, however, due to the limitations of accuracy in a valve manuthe fluid under control.

factured-for wide sale and further because a I resilient valve disk must be used to insure a tight shut-off in closed position. As the resilient disk 1 mands.

will be necessary to produce a given change in flow at small demands for heat than at larger de- Since the normal or average demand for heat of a heating system is considerably less than half its total or design capacity, it follows that the valve "will be positioned for relatively small flow during the greater part of the time that heat is required. The ideal fiow characteristic and the one with which the smallest operating differential of'the thermostat may be employed is one in which a given temperature change will cause equal percentage changes in flow anywhere within that difierential. If the rate of.flow through the valve is very critical to changes in control pressure at low rates of flow the system will have a tendency to hunt which means that the valve will no longer provide true modulating control.

The remedy for this condition is to widen the differential of the thermostat, but the result will be wide variations in temperature of the system on large changes in load. The valve disclosed herewith enables true modulating flow to be obtained within a narrow control differential.

The capacity of a pneumatic motor to accurately position a valve also depends on the pressure of When a valve of the disk type is in closed position, the full pressure -of the fluid tends to open the valve: By providing a linkage to give the motor a mechanical advantage on the valve disk at closed position a relatively smaller motor is capable of controlling accurately relatively greater fluid pressures.

One object of the invention is to provide a pneumatic motor having a non-linear relationship between the fluid pressure applied to it and the Y movement of the power take-01f member.-

In the present invention the combination' of a characterized valve disk skirt and'a characterized valve movement in a pneumatically operated valve serve to give a fiow characteristic in which a change in the control pressure applied to the pneumatic motor operating the valve will produce less change in flow when the valve is positioned near its seat A further object is to provide a pneumatic 'motor in which movements of the expansible chamber bears a non-linear relationship to the movements'of the power take-01f member.

Another object is to provide a pneumatically actuated valve in which changes in flow for a certain change in control pressure are relatively less at nearly closed positions than in valves heretofore known to the art.

Another object is to provide a pneumatic valve motor with a linkage between the expansible motor chamber and the valve stem producing a non-linear relationship between the relative movements thereof and equipped withwhat is known in the art as a positive positioner operated in response to the positions assumed by the expansible chamber and also in response to control pressure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a valve which can be changed from direct to reverse acting by a change in the linkage connecting the motor and the valve stem.

An additional object is to provide a pneumatic motor employing novel means to adjust the variation in control pressure necessary to move the 4 motor through a predetermined stroke.

Another object is to provide a valve operating motor and linkage in which the valve stem is positioned by a roller thereby eliminating side thrust on the stem and consquent friction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a convenient means for operativelv connectin the valve stem to the operating mechanism so that the mechanism can move the valve toward both open and closed positions.

A further object is to provide means for releasably connecting a valve stem positioning member to the valve stem in the above mentioned valve.

A still further object is to provide a pneumatically actuated valve motor which is carried in a frame and equipped with a linkage to give a characterized valve movement and in which novel means are employed for attaching the valve body to the motor frame.

Further objects will be apparent from the following detailed specification taken together with the drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a side view showing a valve and valve motor incorporating the various features of the invention, parts being shown in section for the sake of clarity, v

Figure 2 shows a sectional plan view of the novel means by which the motor mechanism is connected to the valve stem, and of the means by which the valve body is fixed to the motor frame, the section being taken on line 22 of Fig. 1,

Figure 3 shows a portion of the mean shown.

in Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a diagram showing fluid flow through the valve as plotted against the control pressure applied to the pneumatic motor operating the valve.

In Figure 1 of the drawing, a valve I is shown in control of the flow of steam to a radiator II rates an expansible chamber which positions the valve through a linkage which provides-relatively smaller valve movements in relation to movements of the expansible chamber as the valve moves-toward closed position and incorporates a positive positioner operated by the position of the chamber and branch line pressur to control the admission of pressure fluid to the chamber.-

The valve l0 includes a valve body l6 of the conventional globe type in which a valve disk holder i1 moves into and out of engagement with a seat i8. The valve disk holder I1 is provided with a resilient lower surface or valve disc 20 of any suitable material. The valve disk assembly is also provided with a downwardly extending skirt 2| which is tapered slightly in its upper portion so that as the disk 20 is-raised, the opemng between the skirt 2| and the valve port becomes increasingly greater. The lower portion of the skirt 2| is suitably shaped or characterized" at 23 so that as the valve disk is moved to wider open position of the valve the valve opening is increased much more rapidly than at the smaller openings. This valve disk and skirt arrangement is of more or less conventional type and is employed to counteract'the normal exponential relation between valve position and flow therethrough. The valve disk holder I1 is positioned by means of a valve stem 25 which extends upwardly through a valve motor frame 26. The valve stem 25 i provided with a screw threaded adjustment portion 21 by means of which it effective length may be adjusted to the value desired. w

The valve stem 25 extends between a pair of upwardly extending members 28 which are secured to both the frame 26 and a hexagonal nut 29. See also Figure 2. The nut 29 has an interior opening suitably shaped to receive an upper portion of the valve body l6 and serves as the mechanical connection between the frame 26 and the valve body 6. The nut 29 is secured to a cylindrical portion (not shown) of the valve body |6 by means of set screws one of which is shown at 30. The nut 29 has a circular groove cut in its upper end of a width equal to the thickness of the frame member 26 while the frame 26 is provided with a hexagonal opening 3| conforming to the shape of the nut 29. 'The relationship between the nut 29 and the hexagonal opening 3| in the frame 26 is best seen in Fig. 2. In assembling the nut 29 in the frame 26, the nut 29 is passed through the opening 3| to a point at which the frame 26 is opposite the circular groove in the nut 29. Then the nut 29 is rotated 30 with respect to the frame 26, thereby securely locking the two together. The frame 26 is further provided with openings to receive the lower extremities 32 of the upright members 28 when the nut 29 is interlocked as described above in the frame 26. Relative rotation between the nut 29 and the frame 26 is thereby prevented and relative vertical movement between the members 26 in the frame 26 is prevented by securing the lower extremities 32 in the members 28 to the nut 29 by mean of drive screws 33. It will be seen that by his means the three members above referred to are securely fixed in relation to one another in a very simple and eflicient manner.

The frame 26 is provided with a vertically extending portion 35 to which the motor unit 31 of the valve motor is afiixed. The vertical portion 35 of the frame is connected to the upright members 28 by means of the upper frame member 38. The members 35 and 38 are fixed together by means of screws 39 while the upright members 28 and the frame member 38 are secured together by any suitable means not shown.

The motor unit 31 includes a metallic cup 4| which is secured to the frame member 35 by means of screws 42 and the ring shaped member 43. A flexible diaphragm 45 is contained within the cup 4| and is sealed with res ect thereto'by the ring shaped member 43 which serves to clamp the diaphragm 45 between the cup 4| and the frame member 35. An "ex-pansible" chamber 46 is thereby formed between the cup 4| and the diaphragm 45. The diaphragm 45 is formed of any suitable flexible material but in the present instance is preferably made of Neoprene. In order to support the diaphragm 45 a disk 48 is placed beneath the head of diaphragm 45 and serves to transmit the force due to pressure within the chamber 46 to a. rod 50. The convolutions of the diaphragm 45 are suitably supported by means of metallic rings The rod 5ll-passesthrough a pair of bearings 53, one of which is carried by a plate 54, which is carried in turn between the left hand extremities of the upright members 28. The other bearing, which is not visible in Fig. 1, is carried by a plate 55 which is carried in turn by the right hand extremities of the. upright members 26. The plate 55 also serves as an abutment for a compressionspring 51, the other abutment. for

complished by means of the clip member 16 which is secured to the valve stem 25 and which extends over the roller 63. .The clip member '10 includes a lower portion II, as seen also in Figure 2, and

which'ls releasably secured to the valve stem 25.

' ber 1'0 is placed over the valve stem to a point the spring 51 being a cup shaped member 58.

which is adjustably secured to the rod 56 by means of a nut 59. It will be seen therefore that as the volume of the expansible chamber 46 increases, the spring 5|v willbe compressed and the rod 50 will be moved to the'left with respect to the stationary portions of the motor.

The rod 50 and the valve stem 25 are connected together by means of a link 60 which is pivoted in the rod 50 by means of a pirr 6|. A roller 63 ,whichabuts the upper end of the valve stem 25 ispivoted in the lower end of the link 60. The link 66 is guided by means'of a link 65 which is pivoted in theupright members 28 on the pin 66. The lower end of thelink 65 is pivoted in the link 60 by means of the pin 61.) The pin 66 is located in the upright members 28 at a point directly'above the center of the valve stem '25. Links 66 and 65 are bifurcated-and symmetrical about the rod 56 and the roller 63.

In the. true Scott Russell linkage the pin 66 would be located so that its axis wasin the same plane as the axis ofthe rod 50 but it is possible with--the present construction in which the pin '66 is above the rod. 50 to provide amore rugged structure and one in' which very little transverse movementof the roller 63 with respect to the valve stem 25 is encountered. The object of this linkage is to transform horizontal movements of the rod into vertical movements at the valve stem '25. A further feature of the linkage is that as the valve stem 25 is moved downwardly toward closed positions of disk20, movements? of the 'expansible chamber 46 result in increasingly smallermovements of the valve'disk. As pointed out above, desirable flow characteristics are--.ob-

tained in this manner. While the link could be pivoted directly in'the valve stem and provide approximately the same relativemovementsof the rod 50 and the. valve stem 25 with the link omitted, considerable side thrust onthe rod 50 and the valve stem 25 would result, and, besides requiring miich heavier parts,.the accuracy of valve positioning would suffer.

As previously mentioned the effective length of the valve'stem 25 may be adjusted by means of the screw threaded portion 21. In this way the mechanism may be adjusted so that the chamstem 25 pressed-against the roller-63, it is desirable to provide means for positively lifting the disk holder disk 20 and skirt 2|. This is 9.0-

where the open'ing'14 of the clip member is adjacent the circular groove in the square portion 13., The two members are then given a relative rotation of '45 leaving theparts'lockedas shown in Figure 2. A wrench member vl6 shown in'Flgures 1 and 3 lies below the clip member 10 on the valve stem .25 and is provided \vith'an opening i1 which engages the lower portion of the square portion 13 of the valve stem 25. The wrench member 16 is provided with an extension I8 which is secured to'a corresponding extension l9 'on the clip member 16. The. extension 18 of the wrench member I6 together with the-extension 19 of the clip member 10 serve as means'to relatively' rotate the valve stem 25 andthe clip mem-' ber 10 into locking position. When they are in this position a cotter pin 8| is inserted through the extensions 18 and 19, thereby securing the clip member 10 and the valve stem 25 in locked position. The clip member 10 is so formed that there is a very slight clearance between-itand the roller63 under normal, conditions so that the roller 63 is free to rotate. A valve position indicator 82 shown in Fig. 2 is secured to the clip member 1.0 and extends through a slot in one of the upright niembers28. It extends outside a motor cover which i not shown here. The'in- "dicator 82 also prevents rotation of thevalve seen that expansion of the chamber 46 and consequent movement of the rod 50 toward the left will move the valve disk holder toward open position instead of toward closed position as previously described. The operation'otherwise will -be the same as described above. The stop-screw 83 limits expansion of the chamber 46 by engaging the plate 54 if the valve disk 26 does not I previously engage the seat I6. When the screw 63 isinserted in place of the pin 6| as described, it serves to limit movementof the rod 50 to the right.

Apipe 85 supplies air under pressure (usually fifteen pounds, but obviously any other pressure could be used) to the thermostat I3 and also to a positive positioner 86 incorporated in thevalve motor.- In the present case the pneumatic ther- "mostatl3 is'of the direct acting.modulating type whichmeans that as the temperature rises the pressure-applied to the branch line I4 is .in-

creased, bran'chline. pressurebeing varied between zero andthe'pressure available in the supply line as the temperature varies within the operating differential of the-thermostat. Branch line pressure will vary in approximately direct proportion to the variation in temperature.

The purpose of the positivepositioner 8H5 to assure that the motor assumes a predetermined position for each value of branch line pressure and functions to vary the pressure in the chamber 48 until that position is reached, thus overcoming frictional and other forces tending to cause incorrect positioning. The positive positioner 86 is generally of the type described in detail-in the application of Stanley WfNickells, Serial No. 261,672, filed March '13, 1939, now Patent No. 2,280,345, and only a brief description will be given of it here. Pressure Irom'the branch line I4 is supplied to the diaphragm chamber 88. This pressure will vary between approximately three and thirteen pounds as the temperature at the thermostat I3 varies through its operating differential. Pressure in the chamber 88 exerts a force tending to rotate the lever 88in a clockwise direction to opena supply valve 8|, thus admitting air through the pipe 82 to expand the chamber46.. 4 The rod 50 is provided at its left hand end with atransverse member 85 to which a calibrated ten sio n spring 86 is connected by means of a screw :81 and a nut 88. Lock nuts and 88' serve to .,maintain the screw 81 and the nut 88 in any preselected relationship. The righthand end of the spring. 86 is connected to a lever I00 which is pivctedat IOI with respect to theu'pper frame member 88.; The lever I00 is provided with an abutment I08which is adjustable lengthwise of the lever I00. Alever I04 secured to the lever 88 of the positive positioner 86 lies generally parallel to the lever I00 when the lever 88 is in its the force due to the tension of the spring 86 is transmitted through the lever I00, abutment I03 andthe lever I04 to the lever 88 and acts inopposition to the force due to the pressure in the diaphragm chamber 88. It will be seen therefore that as the pressure in the chamber88 increases,

thelever 88will be rotated ina clockwise direetion toopen the supply valve 8| and admit air to thechamber 46. Thepressure in the chamber the pressure is reduced in the chamber 88, the

-' lever 88 :will be rotated ina counter-clockwise direction to open an exhaust valve I06 and reduce the pressure in the expansible chamber 48 until the rod 50 has moved to. the right and has reduced the tension on the spring 86 untilthe force on the lever 88 due to spring tension exactly equals the force thereon clue to the pressure in the chamber 88, thusreclosingthe exhaust valve I08.

With the abutment J03 connectingsthe levers I00 and I04 in the position shown, the spring 86 will have a relatively large mechanical advantage,

on the chamber 88 transmitted through the lever 88 and it will be necessary ior;-th e expansible chamber 48 to; change volumethrough its. entire working range in order ,to, produce ;a su'iii'cient change in the tension. of the spring 8 6,so that I the forceexerted by the lever I04 onthe lever 88 in a counter-clockwise direction will-equal the forceon the-lever 88 in a clockwise direction caused by change in pressure in the chamber 88 ;to'close both the inlet valve 8I and theexhaust valve I06. Likewise as the abutment! is adjusted downwardly, movement of the rod '50 from one extreme to the other will; produce a smaller change in the force tending to. move the lever 88 in a counter-clockwise direction. Therefore ..requiring a shorter stroke.

the valve may be moved between completely open and completely closed positions on a smaller change in pressure in the branch line I4 when the abutment I03 is moved to the lower positions.

Also .by adjusting the nut 88 with respect to the screw 81, the branch line pressure at which the valve will start to move may be adjusted. In

this waythe valve may be made to moveirom open to closed position between any two desired branch line'pressures.

A screw I08 may be adjusted in the plate 54 so that its head I08 will engage the'transverse member' 85 at any desired valve opening. The

screw I08 passes through an opening in the member 85 but the screw threaded portion does not touch the member 85. Likewise the lock nuts IIO may be adjusted to limit the opposite end of the range of valve movement. Another lock nut (not shown) secures the screw I08 to the plate 54 in any desired position. These adjustments' are desirable when the valve is used on certain specialized applications. They are also used when the motor unit is applied to a valve .The valve is shown in closed position and the linkage60-65 is almost straightened out in this valve position, while the expansible chamber 46 neutral position. Itwill be seen therefore that is at its maximum volume. It will be apparent that predetermined movements of the rod 50 toward valve open position will result in very much smaller movements of the roller 63 and the valve stem 25. As the valve is openedfurther, a point will be reached where the linkage will cause movement of the-valve that is equal to the corresponding movement of the rod 60, while toward' maximum open positions the valve disk movements will be greater than corresponding movements of the rod 50. Equal increments of branch line pressure will cause equal increments ot the movement of rod 50 since the positive positioner 86 is actuated by the combination of branch line pressure and position of the rod 50.

Therefore} the relation between branch line pressure and valve position will have a non-linear relationship." e

The. diagram of Figure 4 shows the relationship between branch line-pressureand flow through the. valve, assuming the constant pressure of the fluid being valved. The solid line H2 showsthe fiowcharacteristics of the valve of the present invention while thedotted line II3shows the; flow characteristics of a conventional valve. -'It will be seen that relatively large changes in branchline pressure are necessary to cause a predetermined change in flow at the low values of flow, and it isin this range that the valve will be called uponto performinost of its control function. It will-be seen that very good ,modulating characteristics are obtained even when there-is a very small flow requirement. This result is obtained by the combination of the non-linear movement of the valve disk in response to controlpressures and the characterized valve skirt.

It is to beunderstood that the valve described in this specification represents only one example of the various features of noveltypresent in this invention, various changes being obvious to those who are skilled in the art, and I am to be limited therefore, only by the scope of the apasteners being pivoted to said first link intermediate its pivot to said member and its connection to said stem for guiding said first link so that said other end thereof operatively connected to said stem is constrained to movement along substantially said second mentioned straight line.

2. In a fiuid pressure actuated device. in combination, a frame, an expansible chamber mounted on said frame and having a wall movable through a predetermined range when fluid is admitted thereto or exhausted therefrom, a member guided along a straight line and having a pivot positionable at different points alon said straight line by said movable wall, an actuating stem movable in a straight line at right angles to the guided movement of said member, a first link having a roller engaging between said pair of plane surfaces of said stem, and a second link pivoted to said frame on an axis at rightangles to the direction of movemenlgiisaid member and closely adjacentt said'inember, said second link being pivo ed to said first link intermediate its pivot to said member and said roller for guiding said first link whereby said roller. travels along substantially said second, straight line.

5. In a fiuid; pressure actuateddevice, lncomi binatiomta'frame, an expansible chamber mounthaving one end pivoted to said pivot of said member and the other end operatively connected to the upper end of said stem, and a second link pivoted to said frame on an axis at right angles to the direction of movement of said member and closely adjacent to said member, said second link being pivoted to said first link intermediate its pivot to said member and its connection'to said valve stem for guiding said first link whereby its end operatively connected to said stem moves along substantially said secand straight line.

3. In a fluid pressure actuateddevice of the character disclosed, in combination, a frame, an

I expansible chamber mounted on said frame and having a wall movable through a predetermined range when fluid is admitted thereto or exhausted therefrom, a member positionable in a straight line by said movable wall, a stem movable in a straight line at right angles to the movement of mid member, a first link having one end pivoted to said member and the other and operatively connected to the upper end of said stem, a second link pivoted to said frame on an axis at right angles to the direction of movement of said ed on said frame and having a wall movable through a predetermined range when'fiuid'is' admitted thereto or exhausted therefrom, means for controlling the admission to and exhaustion of fluid therefrom in accordance with a controlling force in such a manner that a predeter-' mined uniform relation is maintained between the position of said wall and the value of said controlling force, a member positionable in a. straight line by said wall, an actuating stem mov-- able in a straight line at right angles tothe movement of said member and having its upper end formed as a substantially plane surface at right angles to the axis of said stem, a first link having one end pivoted to said member and the other end having a roller engaging the upper end of said stem, and a second link pivoted to. said frame on an axis at right angles to the direction of movement of said member and closely adjacent to said 'member, said second link being pivoted to said first link intermediate its pivot to said member and said roller for guiding said first link so that said roller travels substan-. tially along said second straight line. 6. In a fluid pressure actuated device, in combination, an expansible chamber having a wall movable'through a predetermined range when .fiuid is admitted thereto or exhausted therefrom, means for controlling the admission to and exhaustion of fiuid therefrom in accordance with a controlling force in'such a manner that a pre-' determined uniform relation is maintained between the position of said wall and the value of said controlling force, an actuated element movable linearly in a straight line and having a pair of spacedparallei surfaces normal to said line of linear movement, and linkage mechanism between said movable wall and said actuated elemember and closely adjacent to said member,

intermediate its pivot to -said member and its connection to said stem for guiding said-first link at said other end thereof so that said other said second link being pivoted to said first link end moves along substantially said second straight line, and means associated with said stem for varying the eflective length thereof to determine the angular relation of said first link with respect to the direction of movement of said member when said stem is at one limit position.

4. Ina fluid pressure actuated device, in combination, a frame, an expansible chamber mount-.

ed on said frame and having a wall movable through a predetermined range when fluid is admitted thereto or exhausted therefrom, a member positionable in a straight line on said frame by said movable wall, a stem movable in a straight line at right angles to the movement of said member and having its upper end formed as substantially a pair of plane surfaces at right angles to the axis of said stem, a first link having one end pivoted to said member and the other end .ment having a roller between said parallel sur faces for moving said element along said straight line and through decreasing distances'for uniform increments of movement of said wallas said actuated element approaches 7 one ofits limits of movement. 2 I p 7. In a mechanism of the character disclosed, a frame, an actuating member movable in a straight line on said frame, a stemmovable in a straight line at right angles to the movement of said member and having its upp r end formed as a substantially plane surface at right angles to the axisof .said stem, a first linkhaving one end pivoted to said member and the other end having a roller engaging the .upper end of said stem, a second link pivoted to said frame on an axis at right angles-to the direction of movement of said member and closely adjacent to said member, said second link being pivoted to said first link intermediate its pivot to said member and said roller for guiding said'first link with the roller moving in a path substantially along said second straight line.

ERTRAM P. POND. 

